Nahum 2:10

She is empty, and void, and waste: and the heart melteth, and the knees smite together, and much pain [is] in all loins, and the faces of them all gather blackness.

Ver. 10. She is empty, and void, and waste] An elegant alliteration in the original, beyond translating, בוקה וסבוקה ופבלקה. whereby the utter destruction and consternation of the city and monarchy is graphically depainted, and set forth to the life. See a like elegance Jeremiah 16:15. The last word, rendered waste, signifieth burnt up, or void of all verdure; a place where nothing green groweth. Such a horrible devastation followeth upon God's word of command to the Chaldees, Nahum 2:9, like as when Christ cursed the barren fig tree it withered away immediately, Matthew 21:20, though it be the most succulent of any tree, and beareth the brunt of winter blasts unwithered. God's words, however slighted, are not wind, but fire, Jeremiah 5:13,14 .

And the heart melteth] The heart (in quo fortitude stabulum habet, the seat of courage) fell asunder in their bosoms like drops of water; they were cowed out. See Joshua 2:11; Joshua 5:1; Jos 7:5 Isa 13:7 Ezekiel 21:12 .

And the knees smite together] Genus labant, as is usual in extreme fear; the blood retreating to the heart, to relieve it. See Dan 5:6 Job 4:4 Isaiah 35:3 .

And much pain is in all loins] Such pain as befalleth women in travail, Isaiah 21:3; Isaiah 13:8 Joe 2:6 Micah 4:9,10; the doubled form of the Hebrew word implieth the extremity of it. The loins are the seat of strength; whence the Latins call weak men (Elumbes) loinless men.

And the faces of them all gather blackness] Heb. A pot, i.e. such blackness as is on the sides of a pot (Olla, lebas, cacabus). See Joel 2:6. Joy and sorrow will show themselves in the face as in a glass. Now if for a temporal mischief there is so great a consternation in wicked men, what shall we think there is in hell?